Hollow rubber article and method of making the same



Feb. 7, 1933.

HOLLOW RUBBER s. L. PALMER 1,897,025

ARTICLE AND METHOD OF' MAKING THE SAME 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Jan. 30, 1929 BNVENTOR Patented Feb. 7, 1933 UNiTED sTATEs STEPHEN L. PALMEILOF TEANECK, NEW JERSEY HOLLOW RUBBER ARTICLE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Application led January 30, 1929.

rlhis invention relates to an improved hollow rubber article and method of making the same, and has for one of its important features the provision of such an article in the form of a water bag or bottle, the walls of which throughout the body and neck portions of the bottle are reinforced by a continuous layer or sheet of a material having the property of expansibility, such as a lo knit textile material. The essential feature of the neck portion, with which this invention is concerned is that of expansibility or distendability, whether created by the formation of the neck or by the material from which it is made.

Another important feature is to provide a hollow rubber article of this character, the contracted neck portion of which above and below the internal thimble having the threaded metal ferrule for the stopper consist-s of a plurality of superimposed laminations vulcanized together and each lamination having a part of the knit material incorporated therein. Thus, this port-ion of the bag or bottle is very strongly reinforced to prevent rupture or breakage of the walls under the severe twisting strains they are sometimes subjected to in the insertion or removal of the metal core to the mold.

Another important feature of the invention is to provide anew method for making hot water bags or bottles wherein a rigid Core is used and which is primarily characterized by the formation of the bag with a continuous unbroken body wall and neck wall and the provision in said neck wall of expansible sections permit-ting of the withdrawal of the core through said neck at the top of the bag, and the expansible parts of the neck wall being subsequently folded inwardly upon intervening parts of said wall and cemented thereto.

VThe manufacture will be greatly expedited while at the same time the article will possess maximum strength and durability.

In the drawings, wherein I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention as carried out inv accordance with 9 my new method, and in which Isimilar refer- Serial No. 336,209.

ence characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,-

Figure l is a transverse sectional View through a mold showing the several layers of material, together with the mold core adapted to be subjected to vulcanizing heat and pressure whereby t-he several layers are homogeneously united with each other;

Fig. 2 is a plan view illustrating the onepiece bag of knited textile material, partly broken away to illustrate the mold core assembled therein;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view through the neck forming portion of the mold;

Fig. 4 is a similar sectional view showing the expansible neck portions of the molded bag in folded position;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal section through the neck portion of the completed has; i

Fig. 6 is a detail horizontal section through the neck portion of a bag illustrating a slightly modified form thereof to permit expansion of the same in the withdrawal of the mold core, and

-Fig 7 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. 1 showing another alternative form of the article.

Referring in detail tothe drawings, for purposes of illustration, I have conventionally represented upper end lower mold sections 5 and 6 respectively, the inne-r faces of which are concave or otherwise suitably shaped in accordance with the predetermined external cross sectional shape of the bag 55 walls. The lower mold section 6 is preferably stationary while the upper mold section 5 may be moved to and from a position in superposed relation to the lower section 6 by any suitable mechanical means. Each of these mold sections gradually decreases in width towards one of its ends, and beyond said tapering section terminates in the laterally diverging hollow wings indicated at 7 which project transversely of the intermediate connecting portion of the mold wall.

In conjunction with the two moldsections 5 and 6 a core 8 is employed which has opposite convex side faces substantially concentricto the opposed surfaces of the mold i9 sections 5 v:and 6 when the, mold lis'closed.

1 the tapered end portions of the mold sections idiver'ging from eachother longitudinally lof portion of the core. When-thegmold is i mating wing Sections 7*"of`the'mold 5 sides of the contractedjneekof the bag.The

y knit bag, the sheetsv or layers o'jrubber,l com-f y "section and a similargrubbersheet 14 uppermoldsection 5.: @Itis of course, underupwardly ,projectingpartsfof thefwings'Y 9 of Vthe corel Thi vulcanizing heatiis vthen V- `position' material shown at113g is then laid `and the bag 10gis then'pos'itioned 011 therub# knittextile material becomes-in effect an integral part :of the walls ofthe bag and forms an intermediate expansible reinforcementin said bagwalls. Itwill be'fobserved that this kn'it" material' extends throughout both the body portion of the bag and the neck portion thereof.:Withoutginterruption in Vits continuity This corel likewise taperscorrespondingly to 5 and 6 and terminates beyond said tapered part in the solidmetal wings indicated at 9 said coreandprojecting transversely in opposite directions from the intermediate |body closed, the surfacesfgofthewcorelfwings 9 are vdistributednto .allljpaprft 9fthe bagsubstantially positionedpinp'arallel*relation4 VfAfter-thelapse-olafsuitable period of tune to the corresponding internalsurfaces on the under the e vulalllizulllg ,hretrlghe mold e 1s opened and 'the-core; 'together-w1th the asand (l it' i In Fig. 2 of the drawings, 10 indicates a bag'having a continuous .wall of expansible material such as a knitted textile material. This bag is also -providedwith a contracte-d end jportionlikewise terminatingin the ex`l pansibleiiwings indicated -at11, at opposite from thefbag 'as the wing portions, 15 offthe as-thejbody ,portion-'o f :they core Sis drawn therethrough.` t ,'Therejiorm- V'notwithstandir1g Idiei-fact that inthe vmoldinggoperation, ythe contractedjneCk Wlll; of theabag is continuous, the removal .of the core 4can be .readily eeted AVwtlsoilt''.-.d'1111g.10frupture; 0f f the bagwalls.V Ingthis manner, Iwavoid the vne-` cessity, of leaving an opening at; :the bottomvr ofthe bag in aocordanoel with prior Y art practice xthrough which the core A can with-l drawn. f This opening must be subsequently core .8is adapted, to be insertedjwithin this position material *indicated at vrv12' being.; iirst applied to the opposite vsidesfo'fthe core. These rubber` sheets. are ,of suchldimensionsf as to also cover the surfaces-ofthe wingv pfortions 9 ofthefcore,'the.edges of. said sheets the' central median plane thereof. The walls may be slightlyexpandedand lit snugly uponth'e rubbersheetsflQf.;bk Y, z 1

9 After. r the -:Lcore, together "with", the' rubber sheets 12 and the bag 10`have been thus assembled,4 al layer. or sheet ofrubber comand is liable tosr'e'sult in' structural weaknesfs` of` l'the bagatfthispoint and resultant'leak? ormedbag, "a 'metal nipple 16 having an'in-V ternal threaded bore'll' is insiertedfinto thev neck thereof,` said f nipple ,having its outerM surface' covered' `with fabric as indicated at upon the upper surfacefof the lower mold likewise applied to the inner surfaces ofthe' stoodithat the rubberasheets are providedv with. a suitablemild adhesivesolution ev'aporating x` un'der gtlie application of -heat so that i the rubber; sheetsrfwill Avretain;.theirrl applied-"posi-' tions/ on :thegrsurfa'ces vof fthe mold lsections f5 andz and the corejiS duringtheassembling operations. L'Thecorek 8; with the assembled Vsheets r12.

cement.:A The winglexte'nsions 15 of thebag Fig. {it-of theel'drawin'gs, 'thus`V providing' an plur'ality offlaminatrions eachV having the 'frein- Vforcing' knitted 'fabrid material incorporated. therein.: and`V 'whichi extend throughout vrthe neckf-jportionof the lbag. A "suitable core, 18 positionedion ,theend of arod 19 which has an'enlarged threaded end rernov'ablyl engaged berfsheet 13 onfthelower moldsection 6,? the wing extensions jofthe coielat one side there-rw of fitting .within the hollow* wingextensions 7 ofthe lower: mold section. The upper mold Section5 is then moved to 'its'cl'osedpositiom the wing extensionsifgthereof receiving the positioned within the lflaring neck portion of the' bag VVThe-engaging surfaces of the super# imposed laminations formingjthe vneck wall are coated with a'suitablevulcanizing cement so thatL by the 'applicationof' pressurey'the said laminations are '.perinanentlg'yA connected withizgeach other@ yPreferably in. this fopera- ,tions-'af .wire ringv indicated `at 21 is clamped about the neckwall atitssmallerdiameterin line'with the @nipple 16; said'wirebeingpref-` erably secured'to' Vfand lconcealed fbyf alnariow thin' sheetiof rubber 22which 'is adhesively secured( atl:V opposit'epfs'de's Vof the? ring /to the applied and themeeting edges'of the rubber sheets y12 :and oftheV rubber sheets 13.'V and 14 arefhomogeneously -un-itedwit-h' eachother; and-at the'sametime', the rubber composition material of the inner and-outer'rubber's'heets unitesY throughthe interstices of. the fabric materiali() so;.thattthis interposedwlayercf: f

sembledparts ofthe bag is removed. After cooling, ythecore"8f1`nay' be readily withdrawnv united rubber. and textile sheets extendingthroughcutthe contracted neck 'portion of theba'g will readilyV expand thereby permit; ting said neck-portiontolaterally expand sealed by vulcaniz'ing afrubberstrip' therein,-V

'A'fteii removedfrom the i v 17 "L "This fabric i'sfcoatefd with a'suitable Y aire"thenTolded'inwardlyupon the intermedi'- Y ate neck'wall'ilsectQlls asmclearh7 show'nin inthe threaded boreof the nipple 16 vris also" adfthrough the/S111.,d-icuii;thelecf tensiled strains upon the bag walls are more uniformlyy neck wall. The clamping ring 21 is contracted to such an extent that it is partially embedded in the outer surface of the neck wall to form an annular groove indicated at 2O therein.

In the above manner, a hot water bag or bottle is produced which is of seamless onepiece construction and while strongly reinforced in all positions thereof by the knit fabric material lO, nevertheless possesses the desired flexibility in the body part of the bag permitting it to assume various shapes or forms when the bag is filled and pressure is applied thereto.' rl`he additional reinforcement of the neck wall of the bag in the vicinity of the internal nipple or thimble 16 produced by the laminated construction of the neck walls affords the desired eXtra strength at this point to withstand severe twisting strains and prevent rupture of the bag walls in inserting or removing the threaded plug or stopper. It will also be appreciated that my new method of molding such hollow rubber articles may be expeditiously carried out by the use of relatively simple apparatus which may be operated by unskilled labor. Thus such hot water bags or bottles, while 'possessing very material advantages over similar articles as heretofore produced in this art may nevertheless be manufactured at comparatively small cost.

The bag may also be produced by the method above described without necessarily using the rubber sheets between the surfaces of the mold core 8 and the walls of the fabric bag 10. Thus, as indicated in Fig. 7 of the drawings, only the rubber sheets 14 interposed between the fabric bag and the walls of he mold sections 5 and 6 need be used. Under the application of heat and pressure, the rubber w'll be reduced to a more or less iiuid condition7 and it will thoroughly permeate the fabric bag l0, entering through the inner surfaces of the bag walls so that the fabric material becomes substantially incorporated in an intermediate position within the body of rubber when the latter again solidifies. rl`hus, there will be produced what is in effect a single walled bag or receptacle in which the knitted fabric material is homogencously incorporated.

The substantial reinforcement of the rubber walls of the bag by the central continuous layer of knit textile fabric is of particular advantage and important in connection with hot` water bags or receptacles which must withstand very heavy pressures, as for instance, such receptacles as are designed for the purpose of rectal injection. It has been found that by reason of this knit fabric reinforcement, the rupture or breakage of the flexible wall of the bag under very severe pressures, is prevented.

ln Fig. 6 of the drawings, I have illustrated a slightly modified form of the invention wherein the neck portion of the bag may be provided with sufficient material to permit of the formation therein of a large number of circumferentially extending overlapping pleats 23 adapted to be folded closely upon each other and locked together to thus producethe laminated construction of the neck wail as above referred to.

lt is also evident that the invention as herein described is susceptible to numerous other modifications both in the construction of the bag and in the specific method of producing the same. Accordingly, it is to be understood that I reserve the privilegeof resorting to all such legitimate changes as may be fairly embodied within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

l claim:

l. The method of making a hollow article of vulcanized rubber which consists in assembling sheets of rubber composition and knitted fabric material to constitute opposite side walls of the bag together with an interposed rigid core within a suitable mold and forming said sheets under the application of heat and pressure to vulcanize the lateral edges of the bag walls/together and homogeneously unite .the several sheets with each other and forming the bag atone end with a contracted neck portion having relatively eX- pansible parts permitting the withdrawal of the core through said neck portion of the bag, and subsequently folding said .expansible portions upon the contiguous portions of the neck wall and cementing the same together.

2. The method of making a water bag which consists in first assembling a mold core within a one-piece bag of knitted fabric material, then applying rubber sheets to the sides of the bag wall and subjecting the same within a mold to the action of heat and pressure whereby said rubber sheets are homogeneously united with each other to forma bag having a contracted neck and the rubber is caused to penetrate the interstices of the knitted fabric to the inner surfaces of the bag wall, and finally withdrawing the mold core by expanding the contracted neck portion of the bag.

3. The method of making a rubber. article which consists in molding the body and neck portions of blanks forming opposite sides of the article over a core and vulcanizing said blanks together at their meeting edges, simultaneously forming in the neck portion of each blank expansible extensions permitting of the removal of the core through said neck portion of the article.

1l. A water bag having walls consisting of rubber composition material and an interposed reinforcing layer of woven fabric material vulcanized together, and said bag having a contracted neck portion consisting of parts of said bag walls relatively folded into 4 y Y l Vj l Lenz-'c25 superimposed :l'aminationsv and permanently secured togethe'ril l A. 5. A: hollowiarticle consisting of vareinf forcing hollow structure having `lits wallsV i Y formed Vof textile fabric material and provided With a contracted neckportion at one end7 andan-outer layerof rubbereneasing the walls of. said reinforcing vstructure and interlocked .therewith through the interstices of said .fabric wallsto inseparablyunite the reinforcingstructureand said lrubber layerl "l with each other, the;contracted'neckfportion embodying parts'ofth'e rubber layer and the ricmaterialfand rubber on 'all sides. arounda j p .core having fanzenlarged'fbody portioniand i reinforcing lfabric walls relatively folded into superimposed laminations permanently 6; A hollowarticle of .reinforced rubber l consisting of a vbody portion and a neck portion, the neck portion `having relatively folded parts -held ;in superposed laminationsV permanently secured :togetherii` v K l -7. The methodof y-Inaking hollow articles of reinforced rubberhaving an enlarged body portion anolfa restricted neck portion,`whichl consists in .molding ajstretchable knitted fabi a restricted neckfportionyto forn'r'a hollow article with an enlarged body portion fandV Aa restricted n'eckportior'l in its completed mold` ed state,fand then Stretching the formed re' stricted neck portion ofthe article to an eX- tent torpermit wihdrawal of theenlarged body portion of the Vcore through-said" neck portionof-thearticle','all parts of the article remaining in a completed molded state duringv the withdrawal of the core therefrom.

8. The method of making hollow articles of reinforced rubber having any enlarged body portion 'and' a restricted neck portion which consists in molding a stretchable knitted fab:-

ricand'rubber on allv sides arounda core havy ing an enlarged body'portion andarestricted neck portion to form a hollow` article having an `enlarged body'portion and airrestricted: i

neck portion,- said article haying around its vrestricted neck portionoverla-pping folds,

then :opening the folds' relatively of .each

other. and stretching the formed 'restrictedl neck portion of thel article to an eXtentto ipermit the enlarged portion of'the'core to be withdrawn through Ythe neck of the molded article5 all parts of the. article remaining in a completed -mol`ded .state v during" the withdrawal ofthe core therefrom; I i fr *In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention,` Ihave signed my name hereto. STEPHENl L; PALMER.

its i 

